Calendar watch

ABSTRACT

A CLENDAR WATCH HAVING A MOMENTARY ACTION DATEINDICATING MECHANISM WHICH IS CONTROLLED JOINTLY BY KINEMATICALLY INTERCONNECTED DRIVING AND LOCKING MEANS WHICH INCLUDE A SPRING-LOADED PIVOTING LOCKING LEVER AND A ROTATABLE BEAK CO-OPERATING WITH THE LATTER AND WITH AND INTERNALLY TOOTHED DATE-INDICATOR RING. A DRIVING WHEEL REVOLVING ABOUT THE SAME AXIS AS THE BEAK THE LATTER BY A PIN-SLOT TYPE OF COUPLING, THE BEAK HAVING A PROJECTION IN THE FORM OF A PIN WHICH CO-OPERATIVES WITH AN ARCUATELY-SHAPED SLOT EXTENDING THROUGH THE DRIVING WHEEL.

Oct. 12, 1971 R. POLO CALENDAR WATCH Filed Sept. 29, 1969 nted States Patent iiice 3,611,706 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 3,611,706 CALENDAR WATCH Raymond Polo, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, assignor to Fabrique Movado and Fabrique des Montres Zenith S.A., La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, Switzerland Filed Sept. 29, 1969, Ser. No. 861,842

Claims priority, application Switzerland, Oct. 17, 1968,

Int. Cl. G04b 19/24 U.S. Cl. 58-58 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A calendar watch having a momentary action dateindicating mechanism which is controlled jointly by kinematically interconnected driving and locking means Which include a spring-loaded pivoting locking lever and a rotatable beak co-operating with the latter and with an internally toothed date-indicator ring. A driving wheel revolving about the same axis as the beak drives the latter by a pin-slot type of -coupling, the beak having a projection in the form of a pin which `co-operates with an arcuately-shaped slot extending through the driving wheel.

This invention relates to calendar-featuring timepieces, such as calendar watches. It relates more particularly to control systems for such devices.

In conventional calendar Watches, particularly those of the so-called momentary action type, the calendar-indicating system is immobilised by a jumper spring and may, under the effect of a shock, undergo a spontaneous displacement of up to several days.

To avoid this objectionable feature, it was suggested to control the calendar indicator jointly by a driving means and a locking means, said two means being kinematically interconnected in such a way as to unlock the indicator only when it is actually driven. In this system the locking means comprises a spring-loaded pivoting lever which is provided with a locking finger engaging the teeth of the calendar-indicating ring and a projection co-operating with a wheel driven by the movement of the watch, said projection being adapted to cause the locking lever to pivot, thereby releasing the indicator only at the instant when it is actually driven and to liberate the lever again, at least partially, immediately following the advance of the indicator.

However, even with this arrangement, the results were not entirely satisfactory, since the indicator ring is unlocked shortly before midnight and a certain period of time elapses during which the indicator may, as a result of a shock, undergo a displacement ranging from one to several days.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved calendar time-piece in which the calendar indicator remains unlocked only during the period of time which is necessary for its momentary advance.

In accordance with the invention such a time-piece is provided with kinematically interconnected driving and locking means and is characterised in that the driving means is rotatively intercoupled with a beak adapted to engage a projection on the lever.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line X- XY.

f FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line Y-Y.

In the drawing there is partially shown a calendarindicating ring 1 which is provided along its internal periphery with teeth 2 and is driven by a pin 3 which is integral with a beak 4. The beak 4 is rotatively supported at 5a by a screw 5 mounted on a plate I6.

Also rotatively supported by the screw 5 is a driving wheel 7 driven by the calendar wheel pinion.

The pin 3 is formed with an upwardly extending shoulder 3a which serves as the actual driving element for the calendar ring 1 and a projection 3b extending downward and engaging an arcuately shaped slot 8 formed in the driving wheel 7.

The momentary jump of the calendar mechanism is achieved in a manner known per se by the action of an inclined plane of a pivoting lever 9 loaded with spring 10. The lever 9 acts directly on the projection 3b of pin 3.

The locking of the calendar ring is achieved by means of a projection 11 formed on a locking lever 12. The latter is pivotably mounted at 13 and is loaded by means of spring 15.

The locking lever 12 has a projectiony 16 defined by the curved portion 17. This projection terminates in a shoulder 18 against which abuts the beak `4. On the other hand, projection 11 is formed with an arcuately shaped clearance 19 to provide free passage for beak `4. The latter also passes freely under the teeth of the indicator ring.

When the watch is in operation, the pin 3 follows the movement of wheel 7 through the intermediary of the portion 3b.

Before the calendar ring is momentarily released by pin 3, beak 4 contacts the plane of shoulder 18 causing the lever 12 to pivot counter clockwise. Projection 11 moves away from the teeth of the calendar ring at the instant when the latter effects its jump and immediately thereupon falls back in front of the next tooth. As a result, the calendar ring is unlocked momentarily and only during a very short period of time, a period just sufficient for the advance of the calendar.

When the device is being set counter clockwise, the curved rear side of beak 4 comes into abutment with the curved portion 17 of lever 12, the shape of the two abutting curves being adjusted in such a manner that the beak 4 causes the lever 12 to pivot, thereby enabling a rapid setting of the calendar.

It is clear that the lever 12 may be of any different configuration, provided its configuration meets the necessary conditions for a correct mutual co-operation with the beak 4.

It should be noted that the elements 3 and 4 may be fabricated as a single piece, as shown in the drawing, or also in two pieces, the portion 3a and 3b being formed by the ends of a vertical pin.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made therein, without, however, departing from the essential spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a timepiece with date-indicating mechanism, the combination of a rotatable date-indicator ring having teeth on its inner periphery, date-indicator ring advancing means comprising a driving pin engageable with a tooth of said ring to advance said ring, driving means for actuating said advancing means to advance said ring one date unit, a pivoted locking lever having a locking projection engageable with the teeth of said ring, said locking lever being movable between a locking position in which said locking projection engages a tooth of said ring to hold said ring stationary and a released position in which said locking projection is withdrawn to clear said ring, spring means biasing said locking lever to hold said locking lever normally in locked position, said advancing means further comprising `a beak engaging a shoulder n said locking lever to pivot said locking lever to released position only when said advancing means is actuated to advance said date-indicating ring.

2. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said locking lever forms an inclined plane on the side facing said beak, whereby said beak causes said lever to clear said date-indicator ring when the watch is being set in counter clockwise direction.

3. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said beak is so positioned as to pass freely under the teeth of the date indicator ring.

4. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said locking lever has a curved edge on the side facing said beak, whereby said beak `causes said lever to clear said date-indicator ring when the watch is being set in a counter-clockwise direction.

5. A time-piece according to claim 4, wherein said beak has a flat face on the side engageable with said shoulder and a curved face on the opposite side engageable with said curved edge of said locking lever.

`6. A time-piece according to claim 1, wherein said advancing means comprises a unit-ary rotatable member having a portion comprising said driving pin and a second portion comprising said beak.

7. A time-piece according to claim 6, wherein said driving means comprises a driving wheel coaxial with 4 said rotatable mem-ber and having an arcuate slot in ywhich said driving pin engages.

8. A time-piece according to claim 7, wherein said driving means further comprises a pivoted lever having an inclined cam edge engageable with said driving pin and spring means biasing said pivoted lever toward said driving pin to advance said pin in said slot when said pin reaches said inclined cam edge during rotation of said driving wheel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,082,594 3/1963 Stamm et al. 58-58 3,421,310 1/1969 Bennett et al. 58-58 3,427,799 2/1969 Besson 58--58 3,438,196 4/1969 Teramoto et al. 58--58 3,451,211 6/ 1969 Nakagawa 58--58 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,485,815 6/1967 France 58-58 1,229,918 12/1966 Germany 58-58 454,039 l6/1968 Switzerland 58-58 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner G. H. MILLER, IR., Assistant Examiner 

